Court bars enforcement of NBC Code Provisions, grants interim injunction

Crime Diary

LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted an interim injunction restraining the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from enforcing certain provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code against broadcasting stations.

The order, issued by Justice E. D. Iosiagor on May 4, 2026, followed an application filed by the plaintiff, Adewale Akinseni, through his counsel, A. Olumide Fasika (SAN).

In the ruling, the court restrained the NBC, its officers, agents, and affiliates from imposing sanctions or levying fines based on specified sections of the 6th Edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, pending the hearing and determination of a motion for interlocutory injunction.

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The affected provisions include Sections 1.10.3, 3.1.1(a), 3.4.1(b), 5.3.3(b), 5.4.1(a), and 5.5.1(b) of the Code.

The court held that the interim relief was necessary to preserve the subject matter of the suit until the substantive application is heard.

The matter has been adjourned to June 1, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice.

The case, which was argued by counsel to both parties, is expected to test the scope of the NBC’s regulatory powers over broadcast stations and the enforcement of its code provisions.